Selective packet voice trigger use in a wireless communication network

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for selective use of a packet voice trigger in a wireless access network. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a call request for a call from a wireless device. The method further provides determining a location of the wireless device and processing an identifier for the wireless device to retrieve a device profile for the wireless device. If the device profile indicates that a trigger should be used for packet voice communications, then the method provides determining whether the trigger should be disarmed based on a quantity of the plurality of different access networks available to the wireless device at the location. If the trigger is armed, transfer the call request for delivery to the packet voice server to set up the call and, if not, process the call request in the wireless access network to set up the call.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a wireless access network, wherein the wireless access network comprises one of a plurality of different wireless access networks and wherein a packet voice server interoperates with the plurality of different wireless access networks, comprising:
 receiving a call request for a call from a wireless communication device that is capable of exchanging packet voice communications over different access networks; 
 determining a geographic location of the wireless communication device; 
 processing an identifier for the wireless communication device to retrieve a device profile for the wireless communication device; 
 if the device profile indicates that the wireless communication device should use a trigger for packet voice communications to be serviced through the packet voice server, determining whether the trigger should be disarmed based on a quantity of the plurality of different access networks available to the wireless communication device at the geographic location of the wireless communication device, wherein the trigger is disarmed if there are no additional wireless access networks available to the wireless communication device at the geographic location based on a table that indicates a trigger disarmament state for the wireless communication device at the geographic location; 
 if the trigger is armed, transferring the call request for delivery to the packet voice server to set up the call; and 
 if the trigger is disarmed, processing the call request in the wireless access network to set up the call. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a registration request for the wireless communication device including the identifier; and 
 wherein processing the identifier for the wireless communication device to retrieve the device profile for the wireless communication device is performed in response to the registration request. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein both processing the identifier for the wireless communication device to retrieve the device profile for the wireless communication device and the table is maintained within a Home Location Register (HLR) of the wireless access network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 overriding the trigger disarmament state based on a setting in the wireless communication device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein the setting is managed by a device connection manager of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the geographic location is determined in a Home Location Register (HLR) of the wireless communication network. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the geographic location is determined based on a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) serving the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the geographic location is determined based on a base station serving the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       9. A wireless access network of a plurality of different wireless access networks, wherein a packet voice server interoperates with the plurality of different wireless access networks, comprising:
 a communication interface configured to receive a call request for a call from a wireless communication device that is capable of exchanging packet voice communications over different access networks; 
 a processing system configured to determine a geographic location of the wireless communication device, process an identifier for the wireless communication device to retrieve a device profile for the wireless communication device, and, if the device profile indicates that the wireless communication device should use a trigger for packet voice communications to be serviced through the packet voice server, determining whether the trigger should be disarmed based on a quantity of the plurality of different access networks available to the wireless communication device at the geographic location of the wireless communication device, wherein the trigger is disarmed if there are no additional wireless access networks available to the wireless communication device at the geographic location based on a table that indicates a trigger disarmament state for the wireless communication device at the geographic location; 
 the communication interface further configured to, if the trigger is armed, transfer the call request for delivery to the packet voice server to set up the call and, if the trigger is disarmed, processing the call request in the wireless access network to set up the call. 
 
     
     
       10. The wireless access network of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the communication interface further configured to receive a registration request for the wireless communication device including the identifier; and 
 wherein processing the identifier for the wireless communication device to retrieve the device profile for the wireless communication device is performed in response to the registration request. 
 
     
     
       11. The wireless access network of  claim 9  wherein the communication interface and the processing system are within a Home Location Register (HLR) of the wireless access network. 
     
     
       12. The wireless access network of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the wireless communication device configured to override the trigger disarmament state based on a setting in the wireless communication device. 
 
     
     
       13. The wireless access network of  claim 12  wherein the setting is managed by a device connection manager of the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       14. The wireless access network of  claim 9  wherein the geographic location is determined based on global positioning coordinates of the wireless device. 
     
     
       15. The wireless access network of  claim 9  wherein the geographic location is determined based on a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) serving the wireless communication device. 
     
     
       16. The wireless access network of  claim 9  wherein the geographic location is determined based on a base station serving the wireless communication device.